Boiler-feeder.



PATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

No. 821,683.v

R. W. WALLACE. BOILER FEEDER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1905.

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PATENTED MAY 29, 1906. Y

R. W. WALLACE.

BOILER FEEDER.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 12, 1905.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

BOlLER-FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 190e.

Application filed July 12,1905- Seril No. 269,352.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. WALLACE, a citizen of the United States7 residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler- Feeders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to devices for feeding water to steam-boilers; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through'the boiler-feeder. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on the line :c :n in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view ofthe ball-valve.

A is a reservoir for feed-water. This reservoir is steam-tight, and B is the inlet-pipe for the feed-water, provided with acheck valve b of any approved construction7 which prevents the water from lowingbackward in the pipe B.

C is a heating-coil arranged in the reservoir. The exhaustesteam of a steam-engine is preferably arranged to pass'through this coil and heat the water in the reservoir; but the water may be heated in the reservoir by any other approved means.

D is an automatic air-escape valve mounted on the reservoir and arranged to let out the air When water is admitted to the reservoir through the pipe B. This valve D has a casing provided with a cylinder d, in which a piston c is slidable. .A passage c is provided at one end of the cylinder which connects it with the reservoir, and a passage d or opening is provided at the other end of the cylinder, which connects it with the atmosphere.

E is a spring which normally presses the piston toward the passage c, and e represents one or more small holes in the piston which permit the air to pass from one end of the cylinder to the other.

The piston c is provided with a valve e at one end, which is normally open; but when the piston is moved against the pressure of the spring E it closes the outlet-opening or passage d. When water is introduced into the with the boiler below its water-level.

i reservoir through the pipe B, the air is eX- .a second pipe f connects the said chamber F is a dotted line indicating the mean water-level of the water in the boiler and in the chamber F.

G is a casing secured in the upper part oi the chamber F. This casing has a passage g,

which communicates with the lower part of y the reservoir A, and a second passage g', Which communicates with the upper part oi the reservoir A by means of a vertical pipe G. H H are two valves, or a double valve.

The upper and smaller valve H normally closes an opening from the chamber F to the said passage g, and when opened admits steam from the chamber F to pass into the passage g and up through the pipe G. The

lower and larger valve H normally prevents Water from entering the chamber F from the reservoir through the passage g. A partition steam and water from mixing.

said lever to a lug on the under side of the' casing G. The free end portion of the lever I 5S 7i between' the two passages prevents the. I is a lever l which is connected to the said valves H I-I is pivotally connected with a piston J by means of the link i. in a cylinder J secured to the lower part of the chamber F. The upper end of this cylinder is in free communication with the steamspace of the chamber F. The lower end of the cylinder J is provided with a passage K is a three-way plug-valve which is connected to the passage and j is a pipe which connects the said plug-valve with the atmos- The piston J is slidable l IOO phere. An opening c in the casing of the lug-valve permits communication to be established between the lower end of the cylinder J and the steam-space of the chamber F. An arm or lever m is provided for operating vIO the plug ci the said plug-valve, and is provided with a ball or float m in the chamber F.

M is a spring below the piston J, which normally holds the valves H H closed.

M is a cover at one side of the chamber F, which affords access to its interior, so that the cylinder J and the casing G can be secured in position.

N is a pipe which connects the steam-space of the chamber F with the lower end of the cylinder J., and n is a three-way plug-valve provided with an operating-handle n and arranged in the said pipe N. The casing of this; plug-valve is provided with an opening o, so that the lower part of the cylinder J can be connected with the atmosphere.

A pipe P is arranged to connect the reservoir A 'direct with the pipe f which supplies watery to the boiler, and p is a stop-valve, which normallycloses the passage through the pipe I.

The operation of the boiler-feeder is as follows: When a supply of hot water has accumulated in the reservoir and the level of the water in the boiler is reduced so that the float descends to the position shown in Fig. l, the lower end of the cylinder J is placed in direct communication with the atmosphere by means of the passage y', plug-valve K, and pipe j. The pressure of the steam in the chamber F presses the piston downward in its cylinder against the pressure ofthe spring beneathit, and the valves H H are opened. Theupper valve H admits steam from the chamber F to the upper part ofthe reservoir A, so that the pressure in the reservoir and in the boiler is equalized, and the automatic airescape valve D is closed, as hereinbefore described, The water in the reservoir passes the `valve H into the chamber F and thence to the boiler by the pipe f until the boiler is filled with water by gravity up to its normal level and the float is raised. When the float is raised, it turns the three-way plug-valve, so that the lower end of the cylinder J is pla'ced in communication with the steamspace of the chamber F, and the spring then raises the piston and closes the valves H H.

The pipe N and plug-valve n are provided so that the devices can be operated by hand at any time, and the pipe P and valve p are provided for use in iilling an empty boiler.

What I claim isl. Y In a boiler-feeder, the combination, with a 'steam and water chamber provided with boiler connection pipes at different levels, of a cylind er having an open upper end arranged inside the said chamber and having also a passage for connecting its lower end with the atmosphere, a float-valve arranged inside the said chamber and controlling the said passage, a piston in the said cylinder, a reservoir arranged above the said chamber, and

. valve mechanism also arranged inside the said chamber to the lower part of the cylinder, a lever and float operating the said valve, a double valve for steam and water also arranged inside the said cylinder, a reservoir arranged above the said chamber and controlled by the said double valve, a piston in the said cylinder, and lever-connecting mechanism also arranged inside the said chamber between the said double valve andthe said piston.

3. In a boiler-feeder, the combination, with a chamber arranged at the water-level of a boiler and provided with pipes for connecting it with the boiler above and below its mean water-level respectively, of a cylinder having its upper end in constant communication with the said chamber and provided with a passage for connecting its lower yend with the atmosphere, a iioat-valve arranged in the said chamber and controlling the said ypassage automatically, a piston slidable in the said cylinder, valve mechanism connected with the said piston and operating automatically to equalize the pressure in the said chamber and reservoir and to admit water from the said reservoir to the said chamberwhen the mean water-level is reduced, and a hand-operated valve arranged outside the said chamber and placing the lower Vend of the said cylinder in communication with the atmosphere.

4. In aboiler-feeder, the combination, with a chamber arranged at the water-level of a boiler and provided with pipes for connecting it constantly and directlywith the boiler above and below its mean water-level respectively, of a reservoir arranged above the said chamber, a casing provided with a passage connecting the lower part of the reservoir with the said chamber and having also a passage and a pipe for connecting the steamspace oi the said chamber with the upper part of the said reservoir, portions ofthe said passages being arranged to overlap each other and the said casing being secured'in'- side the said chamber, two valves connected together and controlling the said assages, and means for operating the said va ves.

5. In a boiler-feeder, the combination, with a chamber provided with boiler connections which maintain the Water inthe said cham- IOO IIO

ber constantly at the same level as the Water said chamber for operating the said valve 1o in the boiler, of a Water-reservoir arranged mechanism. t

above the said chamber, valve mechanism In testimony whereof I have axed my arranged insideltl sd ohfamber ad opersignature in the presence of two Witnesses.

atn to contro t e 0W o Water om the saidi'eservoir to the said chamber, and a cy1 ROBERT W' WALLACE' inder also arranged inside the said chamber Witnesses:

and provided with a oat-va1ve and' inter- O. (L PRATT7 mediate connections also arranged inside the CHAs. E. CLAYTON. 

